The Daily Dig
Associated Builders and Contractors has released a new report on drone usage among its contractor members. The findings come from a survey ABC conducted in May 2026. The topline number is 36.1%, the share of respondents who reported flying drones.
Among contractors who do fly drones, site progress monitoring is the most common use at 80.8%. Marketing and media follow at 77.5%, with inspections and mapping at 50%. Investment tends to be modest, with 62% of respondents spending between $1,000 and $10,000 on their drone programs. DJI supplies the primary drone for 97.1% of respondents.
The barriers to adoption were just as clear as the use cases. Regulatory and compliance issues ranked as the top challenge at 53.5%. Training and staffing followed at 43.4%, and limited use cases came in at 37.4%. Nearly three-quarters of the contractors surveyed work in the commercial sector.
ABC's Matt Abeles, the association's vice president of construction technology and innovation, said drones are reshaping how contractors monitor sites, support branding, and handle inspections. He also pointed to regulatory hurdles and training gaps as real constraints on how far adoption can go. Abeles called on lawmakers to simplify compliance requirements so more contractors can put the technology to work.
Snapshot:
Report Title: Drone Usage Report
Publisher: Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Survey Period: May 2026
Respondent Base: ABC contractor members
Adoption Rate: 36.1% reported flying drones
Top Use Cases: Site progress monitoring (80.8%), marketing and media (77.5%), inspections and mapping (50%)
Typical Investment Range: $1,000 to $10,000 (62% of respondents)
Primary Drone Manufacturer: DJI (97.1% of respondents)
Top Adoption Challenges: Regulatory and compliance issues (53.5%), training and staffing (43.4%), limited use cases (37.4%)
Sector Mix: Nearly 75% commercial contractors
Spokesperson: Matt Abeles, ABC VP of Construction Technology and Innovation
Full Report: abc.org/dronerport
TheJobWalk Thoughts
Just over a third of ABC contractor respondents reported flying drones. That's a minority of contractors, not necessarily a minority of jobsites, since a single contractor running drones can cover a lot of ground. Either way, most of the market hasn't adopted the technology yet.
Regulatory and compliance issues were the top cited challenge, and training and staffing followed close behind at 43.4%. Contractors weighing a drone program should expect to deal with both the compliance side and the staffing side, not just one or the other.
Abeles specifically called on lawmakers to streamline compliance, which signals part of the regulatory burden sits outside what any single contractor can fix internally. Broader adoption likely depends on progress on both fronts: regulatory relief from outside the industry, and staffing investment from within it.
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